Settling The Score
by livelovelast
Summary: While on her way back from the barracks, Kate stumbles across something she wishes she hadn't seen. Angsty jate, with jacket overtones. oneshot. Kind of Hard T, I guess.


So, after last weeks episode, I'm feeling a little anti-jate. Well, more anti-Kate. I mean, did you see Jack's face when Sayid said she stayed with the other group? I'm starting to lose my patience with her.

Anyway, just a warning, this is NOT a fluffy jate story. I wrote this while very mad at Kate, so it's pretty angsty. But for all of those who, like me, want Kate to get a little taste of karma, this story is for you. Oh, and there's some Jacket. Okay, there's a pretty large amount of Jacket, but you can interpert it anyway you want.

And I didn't want it to be AU, so the flashback takes place after the Sawyer/Kate scene in the promo.

* * *

Breathy moans, a loud sigh of contentment, murmered words she couldn't understand. Those were the noises that Kate came across as she made her way through the jungle. She raised her eyebrows, wondering who was behind the bush to her left. She kept walking, not wanting to disrupt what was obviously a private moment, but then she heard it. 

A low, barely audible gasp, one word. It was so quiet she could barely hear it. But she did. "Jack."

She stopped dead in her tracks, her hearbeat speeding up. She must have heard wrong. She couldn't have heard his name, she was imagining it. She tried to move her feet, but curiosity got the better of her. She turned around, slowly peering over the bush.

Until now, she hadn't known how Jack felt, seeing her and Sawyer on the moniter. She understood he was hurt, but she couldn't fully comprehend his pain. But now, in this moment, she understood. And she wished that she didn't.

The sight of a shirtless Jack, and Juliet in only her underwear, sent a wave of hurt through her body. She watched as Juliet worked at the button on his pants, him planting kisses on her shoulder while she did so. Her blonde hair fell onto his chest, and he laughed as she struggled with his belt.

If she had thought watching them kiss was bad, this was heart wrenching. When they had kissed, it had been quick, and Juliet had initated it. Jack hadn't had time to respond, and it was over before she knew it. However, this was different. Jack looked like a more than willing participant, and this wasn't just a kiss.

As Juliet finally got the button undone, Kate's eyes glazed over with unshed tears. It was all over now, and it was all her fault. Jack reached for the clasp of Juliet's bra, and she couldn't take it anymore. She ran.

She stumbled through the jungle, vision blurry, finally collapsing onto a log. She let the tears fall, thinking back to the events of an hour ago.

_"So, Freckles, I take it you're stayin'", Sawyer smirked, wrapping his arm around her. She gazed over at him, smiling sadly as she shook her head._

_"I can't," she said quietly._

_"What do you mean?" he asked, his face forming a scowl._

_She swung her legs over the bed, shrugging his arm off of her. "I need to get off this island." She moved around the room, gathering her clothes._

_"Then what was this?" he asked incredulously, gesturing to the bed._

_She was silent for a moment, searching for an answer. She settled with the only one she could come up with. "Goodbye."_

_She strode towards the door, pausing on her way out only to utter a soft, "I'm sorry."_

By the time she composed herself and made her way to the camp, they were already back. In fact, the first thing she saw was Juliet laughing at something Jack had said. Part of her wanted to storm over there and yell at him. Tell him they were even now, and that they had both hurt each other. She wanted to ask him to just go back, but she knew they couldn't. There had been too much pain between them to just forget it all. As she made her way over to her tent, Jack spotted her.

"Hey!" he called, standing up and walked towards her, a suprised expression on his face. "You came back?"

She inwardly groaned. She had hoped to just avoid him until she had fully digested the new information. "Yeah," she said, forcing a small smile.

"Why?" he asked.

"I just realized I really need to get off this island. Even if that means facing things I'd rather not," she replied.

He nodded, and she was aware he thought she meant the police. He had no idea she meant facing him, the man she wanted, but didn't even deserve to have. He had found happiness, but not in her. And the worst part was, she _deserved _it.

* * *

Like I said, you can take the Jack/Juliet scene as Jack being upset about Kate and using Juliet. Not how I planned it, but whatever makes you happy.

Thanks for reading, try and drop a review!


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